Ilario Bandini
Encyclopedia
Ilario Bandini was an Italian
businessman, racing driver, and racing car builder.
in Romagna
. Upon leaving elementary school, he apprenticed as a mechanic and turner
in nearby Forli. At the age of 25 he moved to Eritrea
, then an Italian colony, where he operated a transport business between Dekemhare
and Asmara
. He returned to Italy in 1939 and, with his savings, opened a garage and car rental
/limousine
service in downtown Forlì.
In the same year, Bandini began competing as a motorcycle racer
, competing in races at Faenza
, Lugo di Romagna, and Imola
. In 1940, he first took part in the Mille Miglia
, driving a Fiat Balilla
"Coppa d'oro". During World War II
, faced with shortages of fuel for civilian use, Bandini adapted his automobile engines to operate with wood gas
. In 1946, he reassembled a Fiat 1100
that he had earlier cut apart and hidden to avoid requisition by German forces. He modified the chassis and suspension while rebuilding the car. Fitted with an aluminum body, the work of Turin coachbuilder
Rocco Motto
, this car became the Bandini 100
, the first to carry the Bandini name.
circuit, and raced his 1100 Sport
at the Predappio-Rocca delle Camminate race, coming second in his class.
After constructing a second example, Bandini entered the 1949 Mille Miglia
with his new 1100 siluro
, featuring torpedo-like bodywork and cycle fender
s (separate mudguards). The car still used the same Fiat engine, modified with a twin overhead camshaft cylinder head
based on an Alfa Romeo
design. With this car, Bandini entered events at Senigallia
, Ferrara
, Modena
, Bari
, and Pescara
. His first victory was a class win in the Tour of Umbria
(Giro dell'Umbria).
At the start of the 1950s, Bandini became a dealer in Italy for Alfa Romeo
and then for Lancia
. Meanwhile, the first Bandini arrived in United States
. Here, in the hands of drivers Dick Gent and Bob Said
, the car gained early racing successes: its lightness and stability, using a patented elliptical-section
steel tube space frame
, were particularly appreciated.
and Siata
engines, could be even more competitive in the 750 cc category, equipped with Crosley
powerplants. With this in mind, Bandini made changes to the engine lubrication system, distributor
, and valvetrain
, also marginally increasing the stroke, enlarging the capacity from 721 cc to 747 cc. He designed space frames weighing only 18 kg (40 lb), to which he fitted bodies by Motto
, whose designs were perfectly in harmony with the Bandini philosophy, incorporating practicality and compliance with regulations, without sacrificing elegance of form. So was born the Bandini 750 sport siluro
. These cars, when their headlights were removed, qualified to race in the sports category: they could also be adapted to qualify for the racing category simply by removing their cycle fenders (separate mudguards).
With exports increasing, Bandini earned respect and success in races outside Italy, also gaining coverage in the specialist press
. Two Bandinis were shown at Chicago
in 1952, with a 750 sports torpedo displayed at the in 1953 New York Auto Show at Madison Square Garden
. Despite his commitments, Bandini himself continued to race, competing at Chieti
, Senigallia, and Bari
, as well as piloting the 750 to it first victory, the Bologna
-Raticosa hillclimb
, in 1952. Meanwhile, Chuck Hassan and Beau Clarke shared a 750 in 1953's 12 Hours of Sebring
(the first World Sports Car
Championship event)
, after coming in third in the Six Hours of Vero Beach
, first at Sowega (Georgia)
, and (despite lost time due to a puncture) second at Bryanfan.
carburettor replaced the Dell'Orto
. Rods, pistons, crankshaft, and sump were all replaced: all that remained of the original Crosley engine was the aluminium block
.
, Ascoli Piceno
, Teramo
, Macerata
, Senigallia
, Montenero Circuit
, and the Consuma (Bologna
) hillclimb, which concluded a successful fourth year in the Italian 750 cc championship.
At the Mille Miglia, Massimo Bondi driving a Bandini 750 finished an excellent ninth in his class, out of a field of 69 entrants. A further 13 entries by other driver teams would be undertaken by 1957 (including Zanini-Vitali, Tinazzo-Sintoni, Fouls-Pacitti, Camisotti-Sintoni and Garavini). Notably, in 1955, two years before the final 'true' Mille Miglia, the Bandini 750 shared by Rusconi and Sintoni had to retire after a refuelling fire at Florence
, but not before having reached Rome
in just 7 hours 35 minutes 30 seconds, which was more than an hour quicker than two years earlier.
In 1954, production of the two seat sport torpedo continued alongside the new single seater Formula 3
car, for which an impressive 93 hp at 9,000 rpm was claimed. A lowered centre of gravity was achieved by combining the gear box with the differential in a combined unit mounted across the rear axle. In 1957, following the success of Jaguar's C-
and D-type
s at Le Mans in beginning in 1951, the brakes were upgraded to disc
s on all four wheels. This car came in second at the championship race at Forlì. Bandini also entered a two-seater at the same circuit in the sports category, but the car was forced to retire while lying third. He nevertheless won the Consuma 'climb, and placed third at the Compiano Vetto d'Enza. At this stage Ilario bought together his racing activities, his vehicle development and production, together with his dealership and service centre business into the "Gruppo sportivo Bandini" ("Bandini Sports Group").
championship, James Riley, Jim Pauley (famous for his comeback from 24th to 3rd place at Bridgehampton in 1951), Sheldon Morril and Henry Rudkin (four first and three second places in seven races, putting him second in H Modified in 1954) continued routinely to take podium places in F Modified and H Modified (FM and HM) classes in many national and international competitions on circuits and road races. Among others, these included the 50 Miles of MacDill (Florida)
, 100 Miles of Offutt
, Thompson
, Watkins Glen
, Bridgehampton, Milwaukee
, Wilmont, Cumberland
, Elkhart Lake
, Fairchild Park and Sebring.
In 1955, Dave Michaels competing with his 1625 cc Bandini-Offenhauser
won the 2000 cc E Modified (EM) class at Watkins, contesting on equal terms with Monza
s, Maserati
s, Cunningham
s, and Mondials of greater engine capacity, establishing a Thompson track record by two tenths of a second that would remain unbeaten for a year and a half. Dolph Vilardi won the 750 cc H Modified (HM) class in the US Championship with 6,000 points, beating Crosley
s, Renault
s, Giaurs, Panhard
s, Siata
s, and Nardi
s, among other specials.
The next year saw Bandini wins by Rudkin at Berverly, Yares at Watkins, Michaels at Thompson (FM and time trial) and Bob Major at Bryanfan. Tom O'Brien also registered a Bandini win at Bryanfan when he topped the 2000 cc class with an Alfa Romeo
-powered car; he later became an official driver for Alfa.
Also in 1956, a 750 sport siluro fitted with a David Uihlein-tuned 1250 cc MG engine, achieved two wins, two second places, a fourth, and only one retirement during the entire season.
In 1957, Bandinis dominated the 750 cc H Modified (HM) category: Melvin Sachs earned an SCCA title winning 3,600 points in the class; Rudkin (who had switched to Saab
power for the season) ended the year second, with 3,200; Gordon Wright was sixth with 1,800: seventh was George Tipsword on 1,400; and Jack Connoly finished tenth in the points chase with 1,000. The fame of the Bandinis was reflected by writer and screenwriter William F. Nolan
's choice of the Bandini Torpedo
for star billing in his 1957 short story "Across the old man and into Bandini".
to take a Maserati
power plant, as well as an O.S.C.A.
-powered Formula Three model, reflecting the excellence of intra-business networking in Italy's industrial north. Meanwhile, a Bandini chassis with Zagato
bodywork was prepared for Alex Raymond
. A 1955 Zagato Berlinetta
won the Concourse d'Elegance at Rimini
in 1957. The Zagato was also the first to race in America. It ran at Sebring
and Daytona Beach in 1960 (piloted by Paul Richardson for Racemaster).
At Predappio
, Bandini won outright in 1955 and again in 1956, in which year the team came in third overall, achieving a class win at Bologna S. Luca, third place at Consuma, a win at Compiano Vetto d'Enza and another first place at the Emilia-Romagna Automobile Club championship held at the Modena
aeroautodrome
, a unique development (now derelict) constructed in 1949, and combining the functions of a small commercial airfield with those of a test track for the locally based manufacturers of sports cars.
1957 saw the debut of the updated 750 sports, the 750 International Sport
, known colloquially as the Saponeta ("little bar of soap"). The overall design and construction were unchanged, but track and ride height were modified, and the car received an altered rear suspension geometry. The engine was further developed, the combustion chamber
s being reduced in size, increasing compression
and improving performance. The bodywork retained the characteristically Bandini pretty lines that prompted the Saponeta sobriquet which caught on with Italian enthusiasts. Subsequently, the same car would accommodate Bandini’s first 850 cc engine, with a mixed distribution chain and gears and a different oil pump (whose design dated to 1955): this model would later serve as a testbed for the 1000 cc engine, itself based on the 850. Garvini and Camisotti-Sintoni put in outstanding performances in the Mille Miglia, while Illario Bandini himself won the Bologna-S.Luca and achieved a seventh place in the inaugural event at Vallelunga
. Another 750 International Sport driven by Massimo Bondi raced at Trento
-Bondone.
In 1958, the Saponeta won the Predappio-Rocca delle Camminate (with the Bandini of Achille Galassi placed second) also winning at Compiano Vetto d'Enza, maintaining the winning form demonstrated the previous year at the Modena
aeroautodrome
.
The little car also began to winning in North America with James Eichenlaub first at Cumberland and placed second to James Thompson at Toronto. Eichenlaub also managed a third place at Watkins Glen
and at Virginia
, while Gene Parsons won at Miami (Florida
) and again at Washington in the Congressional Cup. The team finished 1957 ranked second in the overall US classifications, having held the top spot until September when they were unable to participate at Watkins Glen
following a retirement at the Virginia circuit. Drivers such as Robert Samuelson and Jack Connolly also provided exciting displays and scored outstanding results, notably at Galveston, where Connolly made an astonishing comeback in the wet, recovering 22 positions in just six laps, only to be stopped by a fuel tank rupture.
During this period Bandini also experimented with a mixed ‘chain and gear’ driven distributor system incorporating desmodromic valves.
For 1959, Bandini achieved class victories at Compiano Vetto d'Enza (third overall), Trapani
-Mount Erice, Predappio
-Rocca delle Camminate, a second place at Trento
-Bondone, a third at Vallelunga
, and fourth in the St. Ambreus Cup (at the Monza
high speed oval circuit). On top of all that, Cesenatico saw the first appearance of the Formula Junior
with a new 850 cc engine (based on a project apparently originating in 1955) in a 1000P based prototype
. In the same race, Edoardo Govoni took third in a 750, later achieving the same position in the Shell Cup at Vallelunga.
s had been offering mid-engined racers for sale since 1946), the Bandini Formula Junior used a rear-mounted Fiat engine, tilted 15° from upright. It also featured drum brake
s, and a Formula 3-style quick-change differential. The Bandini was immediately in demand in the United States. After a few months, a version with independent suspension appeared, though this was still no match for the dominating Coopers. Nevertheless, the car caught the attention of the specialist publications, of Juan Manuel Fangio
, and of importer Biener, who immediately ordered five. It also gained a following with drivers such as Rodger Ward
and Neil Babbs, Jr., who raced it in junior competitions until 1964, and with Roger Penske
.
The 850 cc engine was particularly significant because it was the first engine completely built by Bandini: it was the basis for the subsequent Bandini 1000 cc engine. The engine featured a monobloc bottom end, and choice of sidedraft or downdraught carburettors, fuel injection
, or intercooled turbocharging. At the same time, Bandinis continued to appear in the United States powered by engines from Mercury, Saab
, Offenhauser
, MG, O.S.C.A., Alfa Romeo
, and even 365 ci (6 liter) Cadillac
engines (in the fashion of the Allard J2
).
In 1960, Ilario Bandini was invited to Daytona
, where the Racemaster team took part in the famous sports car event with a ‘'Saponetta'’ and a Zagato-bodied Berlinetta, driven by Luckens, Richardson, and Callanan. Bandini was feted as a true "star“ by CBS
television
: he was presented with the Keys to the City by Daytona
's mayor. Noticing Bandini himself had just finished working on the team's engines, the mayor pronounced, "... I am happy to give this award to a man who knows how to use his hands, and not just his head."
In Cincinnati
Bandini visited the site of the former Crosley
plant and was invited to relocate his operation there. Bandini stayed in the US long enough to witness Rudkin's victory at Lime Rock
, but after that he preferred to return home to Forlì.
Meanwhile, in the same year back in Italy Bandini were active in the 750, 850 and 1000 classes using Banidini DOHC front and rear engined Formnula Junior, 1000P and Saponetta models.
This was the period of greatest growth for Bandini Automobiles. A contemporary newspaper reports discussion of plans under way to develop a Formula One
Bandini, while the production of a prototype go-kart
Bandini (with a Parilla engine) and a micro motorbike to serve as a courier for gear and spark plug
s to assist rapid repairs at the racetrack.
As Bandini himself reached fifty years of age, he continued to race, including at Sassi-Superga, Aosta
-Pila (second), Vergato-Cereglio, and Cesenatico. In the latter, he was joined by Guerino Lelli (fifth in a 750), Teodoro Zeccoli (out after breaking a sleeve of the 1000cc), and Edward Govoni (out after cracking the differential while his 850 lay third). Giorgio Cecchini finished third at Vallelunga in an 850, and Alberto Canali third at Salsomaggiore Monte S. Antonio in a 1000 sports.
While in 1961 the United States welcomed Bandini, Dave Lang (thanks to three victories and a second place that allowed him to take third place in the SCCA's HM Class Championship without even entering subsequent races) led national standings, twenty points up on Osca, in Italy are left engines of one liter engine capacity or less. Bandini himself had little luck in the Four Hours of Pescara
(valid for the World Sports Car Championship), co-driving with Alberto Canali, but saw Cecchini and Cesare Sangiorgi classified sixth. Vince him to Reggio Emilia
is the seventh to Salsomaggiore Terme
-S.Antonio fifth Vallelunga
and second at Predappio where Cecchini won, also in a Bandini 1000.
Cecchini placed the fourth in Salsomaggiore, forced to retire after a fuel pump failure in the lead at Asiago
, and after taking the pole position
at Vallelunga suffered clutch faiure one lap from the flag. He came fourth at Parma
-Poggio of Berceto, sixth in the Shell Trophy at Vallelunga, and third at Trento
Bondone. Take part also to Sicily
Tour. Race in the same year also Canali and Lelli with the Formula Junior.
In 1962, Scuderia Bandini joined with Team Arcangeli, and Bandini himself ran a 1000 cc, earning back-to-back class wins in Chieti (third overall), repeating at the Gallenga (Rome
) cup event and Vinci-S.Baronto (coming third in the Junior). He also won won in Predappio and Reggio Emilia
while the fourth is at Bologna-Raticosa and Vallelunga and reaches the sixth Consuma. Giorgio Cechini in his Bandini took revenge at Vallelunga (recording the first absolute fastest lap), the third cup of Asiago
, the second trophy settecolli (Vallelunga) and fifth at Bologna-Raticosa.
The 100GT
was born in 1963, with bodywork by Corna, subcontractor of Zagato. At Predappio, Lelli topped Cecchini by coming third again with the 1000 sports, while Hilary placed fifth at Consuma (substantiating world sport) and took the Shell Trophy at Vallelunga.
1964 was the year of four for Bandini, finishing in this position at the Predappio-Rocca delle walks (preceded by Bandinis of Cecchini and Benelli) and at Ascoli
-Colle S. Marco. He is also fourth Trento
-Bondone (valid for the European mountain championship), again behind Benelli, and the Cup Beans at Osimo (preceded by Cecchini). Benelli was third in the Cuneo
(Garessio-hill St. Bernard), the Cup of Cimino (in Rome), according to Teramo
and Bolzano-Mendola, while finishing ninth at Vallelunga, and retiring for breach of the exchange at the Targa Florio
. At year-end, awards League team of social intervene personally Lorenzo Bandini
(not a relative, despite the same name) and Enzo Ferrari
(very reluctant to come out of Modena) to witness the sympathy and esteem of the "Drake" Ilario for Bandini.
In 1965, a version of the 1000P (unusually, Belgian racing yellow) gave Benelli a win at the Predappio hillclimb and the first Castione Baratti (Parma
) then runs Paganelli with the Trento
-Bondone Cesana and Sestriere. Cecchini with a front-engined 1000 ran close second to Predappio and retired at the Mugello road circuit. Benelli came fifth in the Shell Trophy at Vallelunga (Bandini himself eighth), retired in the Targa Florio, took third at Vergato Cereglio, and above all keeps Bandini in the limelight with a fourth and valid proof for world title on the Mugello road course.
Despite engines enlarged to 850 cc, and remaining unbeaten from 1961 until 1963 in SCCA's South-West Division championship (led by Hugh Grammar and T. Hotchkiss, who in latter years won in F. Junior at Sebring), in the mid-1960s, production for the United States was stopped for lack of adequate funding, radical changes of regulations, unfunded riscuotibili, and competition from large manufacturers. Many Italian manufacturers were in crisis, and Bandini made front dedicated exclusively to producing prototype
s intended mainly as privateer
s for Italian "gentleman drivers" who mainly run hillclimbs (a throwback to the 1930s, in an era of increasing costs, professionalism, and specialization). There was no wavering in continual improvement on the technical side, so in 1966, a new mid-engined Bandini 1000
appeared. A barchetta
with new, pleasant lines and Colotti gearbox, the position of theupdated one liter engine representing the biggest change. This car persisted into the mid-seventies, when it was donated by Bandini to the town of Forli, which still holds it.
In 1968, at the Turin
Exhibition of Sports Cars, the new Berlinetta Saloncino
was presented. It proved unsuccessful at Mugello the same year, came out in street trim and later was further amended slightly in front of the body.
A new 1000V
sports prototype was born in 1970 with the unusual solution to the carburetors at the centre of the head in an upright position. After two years, the 1000SP
introduced Bandini's first aerodynamic
element, a rear wing.
At the whip of Dolcetti, Ghini, Benelli, Gatta, Ferrucci, recent prototypes have won the Cup Water Cerelia, Camucia
-Cortona, the Colle S. Bartolo (PU), the Gubbio
-Madonna della Cima, the Cup of Chianti (half kilo of underweight) and seized countless placements: Trieste
-Opicina, Bologna-Raticosa, Ascoli-hill St. Marco, Castione Passo della Presolana, circuit of Mugello, Targa Florio
, Magione
and many other races (predominantly hillclimbs) throughout the country.
Bandini, in his seventies, as well as dealing with restoration of older models, continued the study of new ones. The company in 1980 presented the 1300
with 16 valves, mechanical fuel injection
, and electronic ignition; after chassis, engines and flying, now also looking alloy wheels are facts and carry the signature Bandini.
In 1975, Bandini hosted the Group Bandini, an exhibition
dedicated to the marque, for drivers who had worked successfully for him. Until 1979, appearing in Forlì included Formula One
World Driving Champions James Hunt
(1976 for McLaren) and Niki Lauda
(1977 for Ferrari
) In addition to tens of thousands of visitors. Bandini was also decisive in the resumption of the Predappio-Rocca delle Camminate hillclimb at Forlì in 1978, after being interrupted ten years earlier.
In 1981, Bandini receiveed from New York University
an honoris causa (honorary doctorate) in mechanical engineering
, while a Bandini is inducted at the Museum of Marconi in Los Angeles
. This is followed by further rewards, such as the gold medal of the Municipality of Forlì and the medal allocation from Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) "as proper recognition of many years carried out in favour of Italian sport."
In 1985, Bandini took the wheel a last time, at the Predappio hillclimb in his 1300.
A few years later came his final creation, the Berlinetta 1000 turbo 16v
, at the age of 80, just before his death off at Forlì on 12 April 1992.
Ten years after his death, Forlì named a square in his honour.
The Registry Bandini preserves historical documentation, history, and ten Bandini cars, to perpetrate the memory of one brand of cars of the past that has contributed to enhancing the reputation of Italian cars, but especially the memory of a person who has made his life means to achieve their dreams.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
businessman, racing driver, and racing car builder.
Early years
Bandini was born in Villa Rovere, today part of the administrative region of ForlìForlì
Forlì is a comune and city in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, and is the capital of the province of Forlì-Cesena. The city is situated along the Via Emilia, to the right of the Montone river, and is an important agricultural centre...
in Romagna
Romagna
Romagna is an Italian historical region that approximately corresponds to the south-eastern portion of present-day Emilia-Romagna. Traditionally, it is limited by the Apennines to the south-west, the Adriatic to the east, and the rivers Reno and Sillaro to the north and west...
. Upon leaving elementary school, he apprenticed as a mechanic and turner
Turning
Turning is the process whereby a single point cutting tool is parallel to the surface. It can be done manually, in a traditional form of lathe, which frequently requires continuous supervision by the operator, or by using a computer controlled and automated lathe which does not. This type of...
in nearby Forli. At the age of 25 he moved to Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
, then an Italian colony, where he operated a transport business between Dekemhare
Dekemhare
Dekemhare is a town in Eritrea, lying south east of Asmara. Developed by the Italians as an industrial centre, it became known for its vineyards but was largely destroyed in the Eritrean War of Independence.-History:...
and Asmara
Asmara
Asmara is the capital city and largest settlement in Eritrea, home to a population of around 579,000 people...
. He returned to Italy in 1939 and, with his savings, opened a garage and car rental
Car rental
A car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
/limousine
Limousine
A limousine is a luxury sedan or saloon car, especially one with a lengthened wheelbase or driven by a chauffeur. The chassis of a limousine may have been extended by the manufacturer or by an independent coachbuilder. These are called "stretch" limousines and are traditionally black or white....
service in downtown Forlì.
Motorcycle racing
Motorcycle sport is a broad field that encompasses all sporting aspects of motorcycling. The disciplines are not all "races" or timed-speed events, as several disciplines test a competitor's various riding skills.-Motorcycle racing:...
, competing in races at Faenza
Faenza
Faenza is an Italian city and comune, in the province of Ravenna, Emilia-Romagna, situated 50 km southeast of Bologna.Faenza is noted for its manufacture of majolica ware glazed earthenware pottery, known from the name of the town as "faience"....
, Lugo di Romagna, and Imola
Imola
thumb|250px|The Cathedral of Imola.Imola is a town and comune in the province of Bologna, located on the Santerno river, in the Emilia-Romagna region of north-central Italy...
. In 1940, he first took part in the Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 ....
, driving a Fiat Balilla
Fiat 508
The 508 was a car introduced by Fiat in 1932. It effectively replaced the Fiat 509, although production of the earlier model had ceased back in 1929. It had a three-speed transmission , seated four, and had a top speed of about . It sold for 10,800 lire...
"Coppa d'oro". During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, faced with shortages of fuel for civilian use, Bandini adapted his automobile engines to operate with wood gas
Wood gas
Wood gas is a syngas fuel which can be used as a fuel for furnaces, stoves and vehicles in place of petrol, diesel or other fuels. During the production process biomass or other carbon-containing materials is gasified within the oxygen-limited environment of a wood gas generator to produce hydrogen...
. In 1946, he reassembled a Fiat 1100
Fiat 1100
The Fiat 1100 is a compact automobile produced from 1937 to 1969, by the Italian car maker Fiat.- Fiat 508C Nuova Balilla 1100 :The Fiat 1100 was first introduced in 1937 as an updated version of the 508 "Balilla" with a look similar to the 1936 Fiat 500 "Topolino" and the larger 1500, with the...
that he had earlier cut apart and hidden to avoid requisition by German forces. He modified the chassis and suspension while rebuilding the car. Fitted with an aluminum body, the work of Turin coachbuilder
Coachbuilder
A coachbuilder is a manufacturer of bodies for carriages or automobiles.The trade dates back several centuries. Rippon was active in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, Barker founded in 1710 by an officer in Queen Anne's Guards, Brewster a relative newcomer , formed in 1810. Others in Britain included...
Rocco Motto
Rocco Motto
Rocco Motto was an Italian coachbuilding company established in 1930. The company produced bodies from Cadillacs to Delahayes....
, this car became the Bandini 100
Bandini 1100 (1946)
The Bandini 1100, introduced in 1946 by Ilario Bandini, is the first car to wear the Bandini badge. A similar model with the same name was produced afterwards from 1947-1950.-The chassis :...
, the first to carry the Bandini name.
1940s racing career in Italy
In 1947, Bandini raced a Cisitalia D46 at the AstiAsti
Asti is a city and comune of about 75,000 inhabitants located in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, about 55 kilometres east of Turin in the plain of the Tanaro River...
circuit, and raced his 1100 Sport
Bandini 1100
The Bandini 1100 is a car model produced from 1947 until 1950 by the Italian company Bandini Cars. It was the successor to the early 1946 model...
at the Predappio-Rocca delle Camminate race, coming second in his class.
After constructing a second example, Bandini entered the 1949 Mille Miglia
Mille Miglia
The Mille Miglia was an open-road endurance race which took place in Italy twenty-four times from 1927 to 1957 ....
with his new 1100 siluro
Bandini 1100 siluro
The Bandini 1100 siluro is a racing car model produced from 1947 to 1949 by Bandini Automobili in Forlì, Italy.This type is the first Bandini born expressly to race. The style and forms were created for pure speed, performance and lightness. The name Siluro was chosen to indicate the aerodynamic...
, featuring torpedo-like bodywork and cycle fender
Fender (vehicle)
Fender is the US English term for the part of an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle body that frames a wheel well . Its primary purpose is to prevent sand, mud, rocks, liquids, and other road spray from being thrown into the air by the rotating tire. Fenders are typically rigid and can be...
s (separate mudguards). The car still used the same Fiat engine, modified with a twin overhead camshaft cylinder head
Cylinder head
In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head sits above the cylinders on top of the cylinder block. It closes in the top of the cylinder, forming the combustion chamber. This joint is sealed by a head gasket...
based on an Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
design. With this car, Bandini entered events at Senigallia
Senigallia
Senigallia is a comune and port town on Italy's Adriatic coast, 25 km by rail north of Ancona, in the Marche region, province of Ancona....
, Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
, Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
, Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, and Pescara
Pescara
Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
. His first victory was a class win in the Tour of Umbria
Umbria
Umbria is a region of modern central Italy. It is one of the smallest Italian regions and the only peninsular region that is landlocked.Its capital is Perugia.Assisi and Norcia are historical towns associated with St. Francis of Assisi, and St...
(Giro dell'Umbria).
At the start of the 1950s, Bandini became a dealer in Italy for Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
and then for Lancia
Lancia
Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1906 by Vincenzo Lancia and which became part of the Fiat Group in 1969. The company has a long history of producing distinctive cars and also has a strong rally heritage. Some modern Lancias are seen as presenting a more...
. Meanwhile, the first Bandini arrived in United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Here, in the hands of drivers Dick Gent and Bob Said
Bob Said
Boris "Bob" Said was a racing driver from the United States. Boris was the first American to win a road race in Europe after World War II - the 1953 Rouen Grand Prix. He participated in the first Formula One United States Grand Prix at Sebring on December 12, 1959...
, the car gained early racing successes: its lightness and stability, using a patented elliptical-section
Ellipse
In geometry, an ellipse is a plane curve that results from the intersection of a cone by a plane in a way that produces a closed curve. Circles are special cases of ellipses, obtained when the cutting plane is orthogonal to the cone's axis...
steel tube space frame
Space frame
A space frame or space structure is a truss-like, lightweight rigid structure constructed from interlocking struts in a geometric pattern. Space frames can be used to span large areas with few interior supports...
, were particularly appreciated.
1950s racing opportunities in the USA
American importer Tony Pompeo thought this space frame chassis, already winning in 1100 and 1500 cc classes with FiatFiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
and Siata
Siata
Siata , was an Italian tuning shop turned automaker founded in 1926 by amateur racecar driver Giorgio Ambrosini....
engines, could be even more competitive in the 750 cc category, equipped with Crosley
Crosley
The Crosley was an automobile manufactured by the Crosley Corporation and later by Crosley Motors Incorporated in the United States from 1939 to 1952.-History:...
powerplants. With this in mind, Bandini made changes to the engine lubrication system, distributor
Distributor
A distributor is a device in the ignition system of an internal combustion engine that routes high voltage from the ignition coil to the spark plugs in the correct firing order. The first reliable battery operated ignition was developed by Dayton Engineering Laboratories Co. and introduced in the...
, and valvetrain
Valvetrain
Valvetrain is an all-encompassing term used to describe the mechanisms and parts which control the operation of the valves. A traditional reciprocating internal combustion engine uses valves to control air and fuel flow into and out of the cylinders, facilitating combustion.-Layout:Valvetrain: The...
, also marginally increasing the stroke, enlarging the capacity from 721 cc to 747 cc. He designed space frames weighing only 18 kg (40 lb), to which he fitted bodies by Motto
Rocco Motto
Rocco Motto was an Italian coachbuilding company established in 1930. The company produced bodies from Cadillacs to Delahayes....
, whose designs were perfectly in harmony with the Bandini philosophy, incorporating practicality and compliance with regulations, without sacrificing elegance of form. So was born the Bandini 750 sport siluro
Bandini 750 sport siluro
The Bandini 750 sport siluro is a racing car model, produced from 1950 to 1956 by the Italian company Bandini Cars.Born in 1950, this new type marked the consecration of Bandini as an international challenger in the smaller classes...
. These cars, when their headlights were removed, qualified to race in the sports category: they could also be adapted to qualify for the racing category simply by removing their cycle fenders (separate mudguards).
With exports increasing, Bandini earned respect and success in races outside Italy, also gaining coverage in the specialist press
Automobile magazine
An automobile magazine is a magazine with news and reports on automobiles and the automobile industry. Automobile magazines may feature new car tests and comparisons, which describe advantages and disadvantages of similar models; future models speculations, confidential information and "spyshots"...
. Two Bandinis were shown at Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in 1952, with a 750 sports torpedo displayed at the in 1953 New York Auto Show at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. Despite his commitments, Bandini himself continued to race, competing at Chieti
Chieti
Chieti is a city and comune in Central Italy, 200 km northeast of Rome. It is the capital of the Province of Chieti in the Abruzzo region...
, Senigallia, and Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, as well as piloting the 750 to it first victory, the Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
-Raticosa hillclimb
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
, in 1952. Meanwhile, Chuck Hassan and Beau Clarke shared a 750 in 1953's 12 Hours of Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
(the first World Sports Car
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
Championship event)
World Sportscar Championship
The World Sportscar Championship was the world series run for sports car racing by the FIA from 1953 to 1992.The championship evolved from a small collection of the most important sportscar, endurance and road racing events in Europe and North America with dozens of gentleman drivers at the grid,...
, after coming in third in the Six Hours of Vero Beach
Vero Beach, Florida
Vero Beach is a city in Indian River County, Florida, USA. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2006 estimates, the city had a population of 16,939. It is the county seat of Indian River County...
, first at Sowega (Georgia)
Southwest Georgia
Southwest Georgia is a thirteen-county region in the U.S. state of Georgia. A common acronym used is SOWEGA.The largest city is Albany. Counties include Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth.In 1995, 25% of the...
, and (despite lost time due to a puncture) second at Bryanfan.
Engineering evolutions
The cars were designed in the corner of a garage and built by his brother Aurelio with a small trusted team, but it was Bandini himself who personally oversaw every aspect, from design to assembly to testing, whether on the bench, on the street, or on the track. From 1953, the bodywork was produced in-house, Meanwhile the Crosley-sourced engines underwent a radical transformation: a new gear-driven DOHC head was fitted and a single WeberWeber
Weber is a surname of German origin, derived from the noun meaning "weaver". In some cases, following migration to English-speaking countries, it has been anglicised to the English surname 'Webber' or even 'Weaver'.Notable people with the surname include:...
carburettor replaced the Dell'Orto
Dell'Orto
Dell'Orto is an Italian company, headquartered in Cabiate, specialized in the construction of carburetors and electronic injection systems. The company was founded in 1933 as "Società anonima Gaetano Dell'Orto e figli"...
. Rods, pistons, crankshaft, and sump were all replaced: all that remained of the original Crosley engine was the aluminium block
Cylinder block
A cylinder block is an integrated structure comprising the cylinder of a reciprocating engine and often some or all of their associated surrounding structures...
.
1950s racing in Italy
In 1953, the Bandini was adapted for new Italian racing regulations, which required fenders (mudguards) to be integrated into the body shell. Entered in the Mille Miglia, the 750 proved the World Sportscar Championship result at Sebring had been no fluke, but failed to finish in Forlì. Nevertheless, it was consistently placed in the top three at SalernoSalerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
, Ascoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno
Ascoli Piceno is a town and comune in the Marche region of Italy, capital of the province of the same name. Its population is c. 51,400.-Geography:...
, Teramo
Teramo
Teramo is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines and the Adriatic coast...
, Macerata
Macerata
Macerata is a city and comune in central Italy, the capital of the province of Macerata in the Marche region.The historical city center is located on a hill between the Chienti and Potenza rivers. It consisted of the Picenes city named Ricina, then, after the romanization, Recina and Helvia Recina...
, Senigallia
Senigallia
Senigallia is a comune and port town on Italy's Adriatic coast, 25 km by rail north of Ancona, in the Marche region, province of Ancona....
, Montenero Circuit
Montenero Circuit
The Montenero Circuit was a motor racing road course at Livorno, Italy. Sometimes referred to simply as "the Livorno Circuit", it was the scene of several Grand Prix races from 1921 until 1939, mainly the annual Coppa Montenero/Coppa Ciano...
, and the Consuma (Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
) hillclimb, which concluded a successful fourth year in the Italian 750 cc championship.
At the Mille Miglia, Massimo Bondi driving a Bandini 750 finished an excellent ninth in his class, out of a field of 69 entrants. A further 13 entries by other driver teams would be undertaken by 1957 (including Zanini-Vitali, Tinazzo-Sintoni, Fouls-Pacitti, Camisotti-Sintoni and Garavini). Notably, in 1955, two years before the final 'true' Mille Miglia, the Bandini 750 shared by Rusconi and Sintoni had to retire after a refuelling fire at Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
, but not before having reached Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in just 7 hours 35 minutes 30 seconds, which was more than an hour quicker than two years earlier.
In 1954, production of the two seat sport torpedo continued alongside the new single seater Formula 3
Bandini formula 3
The Bandini formula three is a racing car model produced from 1954 until 1958 by Bandini Automobili of Forlì.This type, produced at the same two-seater sports was born in order to participate in the engine capacity race-only category...
car, for which an impressive 93 hp at 9,000 rpm was claimed. A lowered centre of gravity was achieved by combining the gear box with the differential in a combined unit mounted across the rear axle. In 1957, following the success of Jaguar's C-
Jaguar C-Type
The Jaguar C-Type is a racing sports car built by Jaguar and sold from 1951 to 1953. The "C" designation stood for "competition"....
and D-type
Jaguar D-type
The Jaguar D-Type, like its predecessor the C-Type, was a factory-built race car. Although it shared the basic straight-6 XK engine design with the C-Type, the majority of the car was radically different...
s at Le Mans in beginning in 1951, the brakes were upgraded to disc
Disc brake
The disc brake or disk brake is a device for slowing or stopping the rotation of a wheel while it is in motion.A brake disc is usually made of cast iron, but may in some cases be made of composites such as reinforced carbon–carbon or ceramic matrix composites. This is connected to the wheel and/or...
s on all four wheels. This car came in second at the championship race at Forlì. Bandini also entered a two-seater at the same circuit in the sports category, but the car was forced to retire while lying third. He nevertheless won the Consuma 'climb, and placed third at the Compiano Vetto d'Enza. At this stage Ilario bought together his racing activities, his vehicle development and production, together with his dealership and service centre business into the "Gruppo sportivo Bandini" ("Bandini Sports Group").
Mid 1950s racing in the USA
In America, meanwhile, in the SCCASports Car Club of America
The Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...
championship, James Riley, Jim Pauley (famous for his comeback from 24th to 3rd place at Bridgehampton in 1951), Sheldon Morril and Henry Rudkin (four first and three second places in seven races, putting him second in H Modified in 1954) continued routinely to take podium places in F Modified and H Modified (FM and HM) classes in many national and international competitions on circuits and road races. Among others, these included the 50 Miles of MacDill (Florida)
MacDill Air Force Base
MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
, 100 Miles of Offutt
Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base is a U.S. Air Force installation near Omaha, and lies adjacent to Bellevue in Sarpy County, Nebraska. It is the headquarters of the U.S...
, Thompson
Thompson International Speedway
Thompson International Speedway in Thompson, Connecticut, USA, is a paved oval racetrack that was once known as the Indianapolis of the East. It was the first asphalt-paved racing oval track in the United States and is now under the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series banner...
, Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
, Bridgehampton, Milwaukee
Milwaukee Mile
The Milwaukee Mile is a -long oval race track in West Allis, Wisconsin that seats about 40,000 spectators. It operated as a dirt track until 1953. The track was paved in 1954....
, Wilmont, Cumberland
Cumberland Race Track
The Cumberland Race Track , also known as the Fairgo Race Track, was located just outside the west side of Cumberland, Maryland along McMullen Highway at the location of the present day Allegany County Fairgrounds. The Track facility boasted 300 horse stalls and was the first half-mile track in the...
, Elkhart Lake
Road America
Road America is a road course located near Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin on Wisconsin Highway 67. It has hosted races since the 1950s and currently hosts races in the NASCAR Nationwide Series , American Le Mans , SCCA Speed World Challenge Series, ASRA, and AMA Superbike series.- Current track and...
, Fairchild Park and Sebring.
In 1955, Dave Michaels competing with his 1625 cc Bandini-Offenhauser
Offenhauser
Offenhauser was an American racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983.The Offenhauser engine, familiarly known as the "Offy", was developed by Fred Offenhauser and his employer Harry Arminius Miller, after maintaining and repairing a 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car of the type which...
won the 2000 cc E Modified (EM) class at Watkins, contesting on equal terms with Monza
Ferrari Monza
A Ferrari Monza is one of a series of cars built by Ferrari. In the early 1950s, Ferrari shifted from using the compact Gioacchino Colombo-designed V12 engine in its smallest class of sports racers to a line of four-cylinder engines designed by Aurelio Lampredi...
s, Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
s, Cunningham
Briggs Cunningham
Briggs Swift Cunningham II was an American entrepreneur and sportsman, who raced automobiles and yachts. Born into a wealthy family, he became a racing car constructor, driver, and team owner as well as a sports car manufacturer and automobile collector.He skippered the victorious yacht Columbia...
s, and Mondials of greater engine capacity, establishing a Thompson track record by two tenths of a second that would remain unbeaten for a year and a half. Dolph Vilardi won the 750 cc H Modified (HM) class in the US Championship with 6,000 points, beating Crosley
Crosley
The Crosley was an automobile manufactured by the Crosley Corporation and later by Crosley Motors Incorporated in the United States from 1939 to 1952.-History:...
s, Renault
Renault
Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...
s, Giaurs, Panhard
Panhard
Panhard is currently a French manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its current incarnation was formed by the acquisition of Panhard by Auverland in 2005. Panhard had been under Citroën ownership, then PSA , for 40 years...
s, Siata
Siata
Siata , was an Italian tuning shop turned automaker founded in 1926 by amateur racecar driver Giorgio Ambrosini....
s, and Nardi
Nardi (carmaker)
Ufficine Nardi was an Italian automobile and racing car maker, named for their creator.Enrico Nardi was a racing mechanic, engineer, and driver who got his start with Lancia. He test drove the first car built by Auto Avio Costruzione in Modena, where many ex-Lancia colleagues joined him.In 1932,...
s, among other specials.
The next year saw Bandini wins by Rudkin at Berverly, Yares at Watkins, Michaels at Thompson (FM and time trial) and Bob Major at Bryanfan. Tom O'Brien also registered a Bandini win at Bryanfan when he topped the 2000 cc class with an Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
-powered car; he later became an official driver for Alfa.
Also in 1956, a 750 sport siluro fitted with a David Uihlein-tuned 1250 cc MG engine, achieved two wins, two second places, a fourth, and only one retirement during the entire season.
In 1957, Bandinis dominated the 750 cc H Modified (HM) category: Melvin Sachs earned an SCCA title winning 3,600 points in the class; Rudkin (who had switched to Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
power for the season) ended the year second, with 3,200; Gordon Wright was sixth with 1,800: seventh was George Tipsword on 1,400; and Jack Connoly finished tenth in the points chase with 1,000. The fame of the Bandinis was reflected by writer and screenwriter William F. Nolan
William F. Nolan
William Francis Nolan is an American author, who wrote stories in the science fiction, fantasy and horror genres. He is best known for coauthoring the novel Logan's Run, with George Clayton Johnson. He co-wrote the screenplay for the 1976 horror film Burnt Offerings which starred Karen Black and...
's choice of the Bandini Torpedo
Bandini 750 sport siluro
The Bandini 750 sport siluro is a racing car model, produced from 1950 to 1956 by the Italian company Bandini Cars.Born in 1950, this new type marked the consecration of Bandini as an international challenger in the smaller classes...
for star billing in his 1957 short story "Across the old man and into Bandini".
Mid 1950s racing in Italy
In Italy Bandini was developing a carBandini-Maserati 1500
The Bandini-Maserati 1500 is a racing car, produced in 1953 by Bandini Automobili.Over the 1950s, non-exclusive trade agreements between Ilario Bandini and Italian-American Tony Pompeo, provided for the export of cars with no propeller to be installed in a second time in United States.More and more...
to take a Maserati
Maserati
Maserati is an Italian luxury car manufacturer established on December 1, 1914, in Bologna. The company's headquarters is now in Modena, and its emblem is a trident. It has been owned by the Italian car giant Fiat S.p.A. since 1993...
power plant, as well as an O.S.C.A.
O.S.C.A.
Officine Specializzate Costruzioni Automobili - Fratelli Maserati SpA was an Italian brand of sports car automobiles, usually abbreviated to O.S.C.A., OSCA or Osca.- History :...
-powered Formula Three model, reflecting the excellence of intra-business networking in Italy's industrial north. Meanwhile, a Bandini chassis with Zagato
Zagato
Zagato is a design consultancy and engineering services company situated just outside Milan, Italy.The company's premises occupy an area of , of which are covered....
bodywork was prepared for Alex Raymond
Alex Raymond
Alexander Gillespie "Alex" Raymond was an American cartoonist, best known for creating Flash Gordon for King Features in 1934...
. A 1955 Zagato Berlinetta
Bandini GT
The Bandini GT 750 is a road car produced in 1955 by Bandini Cars in Forlì.This is the first this type two-seater to wear the Bandini badge. Born as a road car, it shared the 750 sport siluro chassis and engine developed for racing....
won the Concourse d'Elegance at Rimini
Rimini
Rimini is a medium-sized city of 142,579 inhabitants in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, and capital city of the Province of Rimini. It is located on the Adriatic Sea, on the coast between the rivers Marecchia and Ausa...
in 1957. The Zagato was also the first to race in America. It ran at Sebring
12 Hours of Sebring
The 12 Hours of Sebring is an annual motorsport endurance race for sports cars held at Sebring International Raceway, a former Army Air Force base in Sebring, Florida...
and Daytona Beach in 1960 (piloted by Paul Richardson for Racemaster).
At Predappio
Predappio
Predappio is a town and comune in the province of Forlì-Cesena, in the region of Emilia-Romagna in Italy, with a population of 6,362. The town is best known for being the birthplace of Benito Mussolini, dictator of Italy from 1922 to 1943. Mussolini is also buried at Predappio, and his mausoleum is...
, Bandini won outright in 1955 and again in 1956, in which year the team came in third overall, achieving a class win at Bologna S. Luca, third place at Consuma, a win at Compiano Vetto d'Enza and another first place at the Emilia-Romagna Automobile Club championship held at the Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
aeroautodrome
Modena Autodrome
The Aerautodromo di Modena was a race track on the edge of Modena in Italy. The track had a length of . It was opened in 1950 and the circuit was crossed by an airstrip of about in length which was used by the local flying club....
, a unique development (now derelict) constructed in 1949, and combining the functions of a small commercial airfield with those of a test track for the locally based manufacturers of sports cars.
1957 saw the debut of the updated 750 sports, the 750 International Sport
Bandini 750 sport internazionale
The Bandini 750 international sport also called simply "Saponetta", is a racing car built from 1957 until 1961 by Bandini Cars.This new type of car, prepared for categria 750 sports, replaced the production of "sport torpedo...
, known colloquially as the Saponeta ("little bar of soap"). The overall design and construction were unchanged, but track and ride height were modified, and the car received an altered rear suspension geometry. The engine was further developed, the combustion chamber
Combustion chamber
A combustion chamber is the part of an engine in which fuel is burned.-Internal combustion engine:The hot gases produced by the combustion occupy a far greater volume than the original fuel, thus creating an increase in pressure within the limited volume of the chamber...
s being reduced in size, increasing compression
Compression ratio
The 'compression ratio' of an internal-combustion engine or external combustion engine is a value that represents the ratio of the volume of its combustion chamber from its largest capacity to its smallest capacity...
and improving performance. The bodywork retained the characteristically Bandini pretty lines that prompted the Saponeta sobriquet which caught on with Italian enthusiasts. Subsequently, the same car would accommodate Bandini’s first 850 cc engine, with a mixed distribution chain and gears and a different oil pump (whose design dated to 1955): this model would later serve as a testbed for the 1000 cc engine, itself based on the 850. Garvini and Camisotti-Sintoni put in outstanding performances in the Mille Miglia, while Illario Bandini himself won the Bologna-S.Luca and achieved a seventh place in the inaugural event at Vallelunga
ACI Vallelunga Circuit
The Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi is a racing circuit situated north of Rome, Italy, near Vallelunga of Campagnano. Vallelunga was built as a sand oval in 1959. From 1963 the circuit held the Rome Grand Prix, and in 1967 a new loop was added when the track became the property of the...
. Another 750 International Sport driven by Massimo Bondi raced at Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
-Bondone.
In 1958, the Saponeta won the Predappio-Rocca delle Camminate (with the Bandini of Achille Galassi placed second) also winning at Compiano Vetto d'Enza, maintaining the winning form demonstrated the previous year at the Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
aeroautodrome
Modena Autodrome
The Aerautodromo di Modena was a race track on the edge of Modena in Italy. The track had a length of . It was opened in 1950 and the circuit was crossed by an airstrip of about in length which was used by the local flying club....
.
The little car also began to winning in North America with James Eichenlaub first at Cumberland and placed second to James Thompson at Toronto. Eichenlaub also managed a third place at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
and at Virginia
Virginia International Raceway
The Virginia International Raceway is a road course located in the community of Alton, Virginia near Danville, Virginia. It is found less than a half-mile from the North Carolina/Virginia border just outside Milton, North Carolina on the banks of the Dan River...
, while Gene Parsons won at Miami (Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
) and again at Washington in the Congressional Cup. The team finished 1957 ranked second in the overall US classifications, having held the top spot until September when they were unable to participate at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
following a retirement at the Virginia circuit. Drivers such as Robert Samuelson and Jack Connolly also provided exciting displays and scored outstanding results, notably at Galveston, where Connolly made an astonishing comeback in the wet, recovering 22 positions in just six laps, only to be stopped by a fuel tank rupture.
During this period Bandini also experimented with a mixed ‘chain and gear’ driven distributor system incorporating desmodromic valves.
For 1959, Bandini achieved class victories at Compiano Vetto d'Enza (third overall), Trapani
Trapani
Trapani is a city and comune on the west coast of Sicily in Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Trapani. Founded by Elymians, the city is still an important fishing port and the main gateway to the nearby Egadi Islands.-History:...
-Mount Erice, Predappio
Predappio
Predappio is a town and comune in the province of Forlì-Cesena, in the region of Emilia-Romagna in Italy, with a population of 6,362. The town is best known for being the birthplace of Benito Mussolini, dictator of Italy from 1922 to 1943. Mussolini is also buried at Predappio, and his mausoleum is...
-Rocca delle Camminate, a second place at Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
-Bondone, a third at Vallelunga
ACI Vallelunga Circuit
The Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi is a racing circuit situated north of Rome, Italy, near Vallelunga of Campagnano. Vallelunga was built as a sand oval in 1959. From 1963 the circuit held the Rome Grand Prix, and in 1967 a new loop was added when the track became the property of the...
, and fourth in the St. Ambreus Cup (at the Monza
Autodromo Nazionale Monza
The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception....
high speed oval circuit). On top of all that, Cesenatico saw the first appearance of the Formula Junior
Bandini formula junior
The Bandini formula junior is a racing car model produced from 1959 until 1962 by Bandini Cars in Forlì.-Overview:The formula was a junior category promotional designed Europe and United States to start young drivers racing career, allowing a deserved better visibility beyond national...
with a new 850 cc engine (based on a project apparently originating in 1955) in a 1000P based prototype
Bandini 1000 P
The Bandini 1000 P is a race car, built from 1959 until 1965 by Bandini Cars Forlì.This new type of car marks a radical change in the philosophy of approach to the competition of Bandini racing cars...
. In the same race, Edoardo Govoni took third in a 750, later achieving the same position in the Shell Cup at Vallelunga.
Transformation and decline
Formula Junior regulations required a 1100 cc production engine. Very belatedly (seeing CooperCooper Car Company
The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946...
s had been offering mid-engined racers for sale since 1946), the Bandini Formula Junior used a rear-mounted Fiat engine, tilted 15° from upright. It also featured drum brake
Drum brake
A drum brake is a brake in which the friction is caused by a set of shoes or pads that press against a rotating drum-shaped part called a brake drum....
s, and a Formula 3-style quick-change differential. The Bandini was immediately in demand in the United States. After a few months, a version with independent suspension appeared, though this was still no match for the dominating Coopers. Nevertheless, the car caught the attention of the specialist publications, of Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio
Juan Manuel Fangio , nicknamed El Chueco or El Maestro , was a racing car driver from Argentina, who dominated the first decade of Formula One racing...
, and of importer Biener, who immediately ordered five. It also gained a following with drivers such as Rodger Ward
Rodger Ward
Rodger M. Ward was an American racecar driver who won the 1959 and 1962 Indianapolis 500. He also was the 1959 and 1962 USAC Championship Car champion.-Early history:...
and Neil Babbs, Jr., who raced it in junior competitions until 1964, and with Roger Penske
Roger Penske
Roger S. Penske is the owner of the automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive related businesses. A winning racer in the late 1950s, Penske was named 1961's Sports Car Club of America Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated...
.
The 850 cc engine was particularly significant because it was the first engine completely built by Bandini: it was the basis for the subsequent Bandini 1000 cc engine. The engine featured a monobloc bottom end, and choice of sidedraft or downdraught carburettors, fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
, or intercooled turbocharging. At the same time, Bandinis continued to appear in the United States powered by engines from Mercury, Saab
Saab
Saab AB is a Swedish aerospace and defence company, founded in 1937. From 1947 to 1990 it was the parent company of automobile manufacturer Saab Automobile, and between 1968 and 1995 the company was in a merger with commercial vehicle manufacturer Scania, known as Saab-Scania.-History:"Svenska...
, Offenhauser
Offenhauser
Offenhauser was an American racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983.The Offenhauser engine, familiarly known as the "Offy", was developed by Fred Offenhauser and his employer Harry Arminius Miller, after maintaining and repairing a 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car of the type which...
, MG, O.S.C.A., Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars...
, and even 365 ci (6 liter) Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
engines (in the fashion of the Allard J2
Allard
The Allard Motor Company was an English car manufacturer founded in 1936 by Sydney Allard. The company, based in Putney, London. until 1945 and then in Clapham, London, produced approximately 1900 cars until its closure in 1966....
).
In 1960, Ilario Bandini was invited to Daytona
Daytona International Speedway
Daytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home of the Daytona 500, one of the most prestigious races in NASCAR. In addition to NASCAR, the track also hosts races of ARCA, AMA Superbike, Grand-Am and Motocross...
, where the Racemaster team took part in the famous sports car event with a ‘'Saponetta'’ and a Zagato-bodied Berlinetta, driven by Luckens, Richardson, and Callanan. Bandini was feted as a true "star“ by CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
: he was presented with the Keys to the City by Daytona
Daytona Beach, Florida
Daytona Beach is a city in Volusia County, Florida, USA. According to 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the city has a population of 64,211. Daytona Beach is a principal city of the Deltona – Daytona Beach – Ormond Beach, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which the census bureau estimated had...
's mayor. Noticing Bandini himself had just finished working on the team's engines, the mayor pronounced, "... I am happy to give this award to a man who knows how to use his hands, and not just his head."
In Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
Bandini visited the site of the former Crosley
Crosley
The Crosley was an automobile manufactured by the Crosley Corporation and later by Crosley Motors Incorporated in the United States from 1939 to 1952.-History:...
plant and was invited to relocate his operation there. Bandini stayed in the US long enough to witness Rudkin's victory at Lime Rock
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner...
, but after that he preferred to return home to Forlì.
Meanwhile, in the same year back in Italy Bandini were active in the 750, 850 and 1000 classes using Banidini DOHC front and rear engined Formnula Junior, 1000P and Saponetta models.
This was the period of greatest growth for Bandini Automobiles. A contemporary newspaper reports discussion of plans under way to develop a Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Bandini, while the production of a prototype go-kart
Go-kart
thumb|A [[Kart racing|racing kart]] at the [[Commission Internationale de Karting|CIK-FIA]] European Championship 2008A go-kart is a small four-wheeled vehicle...
Bandini (with a Parilla engine) and a micro motorbike to serve as a courier for gear and spark plug
Spark plug
A spark plug is an electrical device that fits into the cylinder head of some internal combustion engines and ignites compressed fuels such as aerosol, gasoline, ethanol, and liquefied petroleum gas by means of an electric spark.Spark plugs have an insulated central electrode which is connected by...
s to assist rapid repairs at the racetrack.
As Bandini himself reached fifty years of age, he continued to race, including at Sassi-Superga, Aosta
Aosta
Aosta is the principal city of the bilingual Aosta Valley in the Italian Alps, north-northwest of Turin. It is situated near the Italian entrance of the Mont Blanc Tunnel, at the confluence of the Buthier and the Dora Baltea, and at the junction of the Great and Little St. Bernard routes...
-Pila (second), Vergato-Cereglio, and Cesenatico. In the latter, he was joined by Guerino Lelli (fifth in a 750), Teodoro Zeccoli (out after breaking a sleeve of the 1000cc), and Edward Govoni (out after cracking the differential while his 850 lay third). Giorgio Cecchini finished third at Vallelunga in an 850, and Alberto Canali third at Salsomaggiore Monte S. Antonio in a 1000 sports.
While in 1961 the United States welcomed Bandini, Dave Lang (thanks to three victories and a second place that allowed him to take third place in the SCCA's HM Class Championship without even entering subsequent races) led national standings, twenty points up on Osca, in Italy are left engines of one liter engine capacity or less. Bandini himself had little luck in the Four Hours of Pescara
Pescara
Pescara is the capital city of the Province of Pescara, in the Abruzzo region of Italy. As of January 1, 2007 it was the most populated city within Abruzzo at 123,059 residents, 400,000 with the surrounding metropolitan area...
(valid for the World Sports Car Championship), co-driving with Alberto Canali, but saw Cecchini and Cesare Sangiorgi classified sixth. Vince him to Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia is an affluent city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune of the Province of Reggio Emilia....
is the seventh to Salsomaggiore Terme
Salsomaggiore Terme
Salsomaggiore Terme is a town and comune in northern Italy. It is located in the province of Parma, in the Emilia-Romagna region, located at the foot of the Apennines. It is a popular Spa town. The water is strongly saline....
-S.Antonio fifth Vallelunga
ACI Vallelunga Circuit
The Autodromo Vallelunga Piero Taruffi is a racing circuit situated north of Rome, Italy, near Vallelunga of Campagnano. Vallelunga was built as a sand oval in 1959. From 1963 the circuit held the Rome Grand Prix, and in 1967 a new loop was added when the track became the property of the...
and second at Predappio where Cecchini won, also in a Bandini 1000.
Cecchini placed the fourth in Salsomaggiore, forced to retire after a fuel pump failure in the lead at Asiago
Asiago
Asiago is the name of both a minor township and the surrounding plateau region in the Province of Vicenza in the Veneto region of Northeastern Italy...
, and after taking the pole position
Pole position
The term "pole position", as used in motorsports, comes from the horse racing term where the number one starter starts on the inside next to the inside pole. The term made its way, along with several other customs, to auto racing. In circuit motorsports, a driver has pole position when he or she...
at Vallelunga suffered clutch faiure one lap from the flag. He came fourth at Parma
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
-Poggio of Berceto, sixth in the Shell Trophy at Vallelunga, and third at Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
Bondone. Take part also to Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
Tour. Race in the same year also Canali and Lelli with the Formula Junior.
In 1962, Scuderia Bandini joined with Team Arcangeli, and Bandini himself ran a 1000 cc, earning back-to-back class wins in Chieti (third overall), repeating at the Gallenga (Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
) cup event and Vinci-S.Baronto (coming third in the Junior). He also won won in Predappio and Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia is an affluent city in northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 170,000 inhabitants and is the main comune of the Province of Reggio Emilia....
while the fourth is at Bologna-Raticosa and Vallelunga and reaches the sixth Consuma. Giorgio Cechini in his Bandini took revenge at Vallelunga (recording the first absolute fastest lap), the third cup of Asiago
Asiago
Asiago is the name of both a minor township and the surrounding plateau region in the Province of Vicenza in the Veneto region of Northeastern Italy...
, the second trophy settecolli (Vallelunga) and fifth at Bologna-Raticosa.
The 100GT
Bandini 1000 GT
The Bandini 1000 GT is a road car produced in 1963 by Bandini Cars of Forlì, Italy.This road model, the second Bandini Gran Turismo, used the new engine, introduced in the sports cars of the same period, the , detuned to increase reliability and limit interventions review. It was the first Bandini...
was born in 1963, with bodywork by Corna, subcontractor of Zagato. At Predappio, Lelli topped Cecchini by coming third again with the 1000 sports, while Hilary placed fifth at Consuma (substantiating world sport) and took the Shell Trophy at Vallelunga.
1964 was the year of four for Bandini, finishing in this position at the Predappio-Rocca delle walks (preceded by Bandinis of Cecchini and Benelli) and at Ascoli
Ascoli
-Places of Italy:*Ascoli Piceno, a city and provincial seat in Marche*Ascoli Satriano, a town in the Province of Foggia*Porto d'Ascoli, a civil parish of San Benedetto del Tronto, in the province of Ascoli Piceno*Province of Ascoli Piceno, a province of the Marche...
-Colle S. Marco. He is also fourth Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
-Bondone (valid for the European mountain championship), again behind Benelli, and the Cup Beans at Osimo (preceded by Cecchini). Benelli was third in the Cuneo
Cuneo
Cuneo is a city and comune in Piedmont, Northern Italy, the capital of the province of Cuneo, the third largest of Italy’s provinces by area...
(Garessio-hill St. Bernard), the Cup of Cimino (in Rome), according to Teramo
Teramo
Teramo is a city and comune in the central Italian region of Abruzzo, the capital of the province of Teramo.The city, from Rome, is situated between the highest mountains of the Apennines and the Adriatic coast...
and Bolzano-Mendola, while finishing ninth at Vallelunga, and retiring for breach of the exchange at the Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
. At year-end, awards League team of social intervene personally Lorenzo Bandini
Lorenzo Bandini
Lorenzo Bandini was an Italian motor racing driver who raced in Formula One for the Scuderia Centro Sud and Ferrari teams.-Career:...
(not a relative, despite the same name) and Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Anselmo Ferrari Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian race car driver and entrepreneur, the founder of the Scuderia Ferrari Grand Prix motor racing team, and subsequently of the Ferrari car manufacturer...
(very reluctant to come out of Modena) to witness the sympathy and esteem of the "Drake" Ilario for Bandini.
Parma
Parma is a city in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna famous for its ham, its cheese, its architecture and the fine countryside around it. This is the home of the University of Parma, one of the oldest universities in the world....
) then runs Paganelli with the Trento
Trento
Trento is an Italian city located in the Adige River valley in Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. It is the capital of Trentino...
-Bondone Cesana and Sestriere. Cecchini with a front-engined 1000 ran close second to Predappio and retired at the Mugello road circuit. Benelli came fifth in the Shell Trophy at Vallelunga (Bandini himself eighth), retired in the Targa Florio, took third at Vergato Cereglio, and above all keeps Bandini in the limelight with a fourth and valid proof for world title on the Mugello road course.
Despite engines enlarged to 850 cc, and remaining unbeaten from 1961 until 1963 in SCCA's South-West Division championship (led by Hugh Grammar and T. Hotchkiss, who in latter years won in F. Junior at Sebring), in the mid-1960s, production for the United States was stopped for lack of adequate funding, radical changes of regulations, unfunded riscuotibili, and competition from large manufacturers. Many Italian manufacturers were in crisis, and Bandini made front dedicated exclusively to producing prototype
Prototype
A prototype is an early sample or model built to test a concept or process or to act as a thing to be replicated or learned from.The word prototype derives from the Greek πρωτότυπον , "primitive form", neutral of πρωτότυπος , "original, primitive", from πρῶτος , "first" and τύπος ,...
s intended mainly as privateer
Privateer (motorsport)
In motor sport, a privateer is usually an entrant into a racing event that is not directly supported by an automobile manufacturer. Privateers teams are often found competing in rally and circuit racing events, and often include competitors who build and maintain their own vehicles...
s for Italian "gentleman drivers" who mainly run hillclimbs (a throwback to the 1930s, in an era of increasing costs, professionalism, and specialization). There was no wavering in continual improvement on the technical side, so in 1966, a new mid-engined Bandini 1000
Bandini 1000
The Bandini 1000 is a race car, built in 1966 by Bandini Cars Forlì.This new sports prototype, replaces the P 1000 which inherits the engine bialbero Bandini of 1000 cc engine displacement, constantly updated and improved , the scheme standstill four-wheel independent and structure of the chassis,...
appeared. A barchetta
Barchetta
A barchetta was originally an Italian style of open 2-seater sports car which was built for racing. Weight and wind resistance were kept to a minimum, and any unnecessary equipment or decoration were sacrificed in order to maximize performance....
with new, pleasant lines and Colotti gearbox, the position of theupdated one liter engine representing the biggest change. This car persisted into the mid-seventies, when it was donated by Bandini to the town of Forli, which still holds it.
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
Exhibition of Sports Cars, the new Berlinetta Saloncino
Bandini Saloncino
The Bandini Saloncino is a racing car, built in 1968 by Bandini Automobili in Forlì, Italy.The new sports coupé was presented at the "Salone Internazionale dell'Automobile di Torino" in 1968, but its manufacturer Ilario Bandini with irony, given the small size of its Berlinetta and little sympathy...
was presented. It proved unsuccessful at Mugello the same year, came out in street trim and later was further amended slightly in front of the body.
A new 1000V
Bandini 1000 V
The Bandini 1000 V sports prototype is a race car built in 1970 by Bandini Cars Forlì.This two-seater sports together for many years previous 1000/66 , the Saloncino and the subsequent 1000/72 on the slopes and runs uphill from across Italy.The now-consolidated characteristics of previous Bandini,...
sports prototype was born in 1970 with the unusual solution to the carburetors at the centre of the head in an upright position. After two years, the 1000SP
Bandini s.p. 1000
The Bandini 1000 sports prototype is a racing car built for the season 1972 by Bandini Cars Forlì.This car marked some significant changes in the landscape of production Bandini....
introduced Bandini's first aerodynamic
Aerodynamics
Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...
element, a rear wing.
At the whip of Dolcetti, Ghini, Benelli, Gatta, Ferrucci, recent prototypes have won the Cup Water Cerelia, Camucia
Camucia
Camucia is a small town in Tuscany in central Italy. It is a frazione of Cortona. Sitting at the base of the hill on which Cortona lies, it serves as the railway station for the historic town, on the main Florence - Rome line....
-Cortona, the Colle S. Bartolo (PU), the Gubbio
Gubbio
Gubbio is a town and comune in the far northeastern part of the Italian province of Perugia . It is located on the lowest slope of Mt. Ingino, a small mountain of the Apennines. See also Mount Ingino Christmas Tree.-History:...
-Madonna della Cima, the Cup of Chianti (half kilo of underweight) and seized countless placements: Trieste
Trieste
Trieste is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is situated towards the end of a narrow strip of land lying between the Adriatic Sea and Italy's border with Slovenia, which lies almost immediately south and east of the city...
-Opicina, Bologna-Raticosa, Ascoli-hill St. Marco, Castione Passo della Presolana, circuit of Mugello, Targa Florio
Targa Florio
The Targa Florio was an open road endurance automobile race held in the mountains of Sicily near Palermo. Founded in 1906, it was the oldest sports car racing event, part of the World Sportscar Championship between 1955 and 1973...
, Magione
Magione
Magione is a comune in the Province of Perugia in the Italian region Umbria, located about 15 km west of Perugia.Magione borders the following municipalities: Castiglione del Lago, Corciano, Panicale, Passignano sul Trasimeno, Perugia, Tuoro sul Trasimeno, and Umbertide...
and many other races (predominantly hillclimbs) throughout the country.
Bandini, in his seventies, as well as dealing with restoration of older models, continued the study of new ones. The company in 1980 presented the 1300
Bandini 1300
The Bandini 1300 was a racing car built in 1980 by Bandini Cars in Forlì, Italy.It was presented in 1980 as new sports prototype in red and blue livery, divided by a thin gold colour line...
with 16 valves, mechanical fuel injection
Fuel injection
Fuel injection is a system for admitting fuel into an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in automotive petrol engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
, and electronic ignition; after chassis, engines and flying, now also looking alloy wheels are facts and carry the signature Bandini.
Exhibition
An exhibition, in the most general sense, is an organized presentation and display of a selection of items. In practice, exhibitions usually occur within museums, galleries and exhibition halls, and World's Fairs...
dedicated to the marque, for drivers who had worked successfully for him. Until 1979, appearing in Forlì included Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
World Driving Champions James Hunt
James Hunt
James Simon Wallis Hunt was a British racing driver from England who won the Formula One World Championship in . Hunt's often action packed exploits on track earned him the nickname "Hunt the Shunt." After retiring from driving, Hunt became a media commentator and businessman...
(1976 for McLaren) and Niki Lauda
Niki Lauda
Andreas Nikolaus "Niki" Lauda is an Austrian former Formula One racing driver and three-time F1 World Champion. More recently an aviation entrepreneur, he has founded and run two airlines and was manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team for two years.- Early years in racing :Born in Vienna,...
(1977 for Ferrari
Ferrari
Ferrari S.p.A. is an Italian sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari in 1929, as Scuderia Ferrari, the company sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars before moving into production of street-legal vehicles as Ferrari S.p.A. in 1947...
) In addition to tens of thousands of visitors. Bandini was also decisive in the resumption of the Predappio-Rocca delle Camminate hillclimb at Forlì in 1978, after being interrupted ten years earlier.
In 1981, Bandini receiveed from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
an honoris causa (honorary doctorate) in mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
, while a Bandini is inducted at the Museum of Marconi in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. This is followed by further rewards, such as the gold medal of the Municipality of Forlì and the medal allocation from Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI) "as proper recognition of many years carried out in favour of Italian sport."
In 1985, Bandini took the wheel a last time, at the Predappio hillclimb in his 1300.
Bandini 1000 turbo
The Bandini 1000 turbo, also known as "Bandini Berlinetta" is a hand built road car, built in 1992 by Ilario Bandini.The engineer Ilario Bandini called this car as "my pride"...
, at the age of 80, just before his death off at Forlì on 12 April 1992.
Ten years after his death, Forlì named a square in his honour.
The Registry Bandini preserves historical documentation, history, and ten Bandini cars, to perpetrate the memory of one brand of cars of the past that has contributed to enhancing the reputation of Italian cars, but especially the memory of a person who has made his life means to achieve their dreams.
Sources
- Kettlewell, Mike. "Cooper: Forerunner of the Modern Racing Car", in Northey, Tom, ed. World of Automobiles, Volume 4, p.428-33. London: Orbis, 1974.